Nicholas (Nick) Beard grew up as an only child in an Army family. His father had served for 32 years and, when the newly formed Royal Corps of Transport offered a link with both his father and uncle's service, Nick chose to follow that path himself. Commissioned in 1966, he arrived in Aden the following February as a 20-year-old second lieutenant and troop commander. He recalls the excitement of active service, convoy duties through the Radfan and the moment he realised that carrying live ammunition was very different from training: for the first time, there were people who genuinely wanted to kill him. That sense of youthful confidence was profoundly challenged when his unit was caught in an ambush. Nick was wounded and spent the night in hospital alongside other casualties, while several of his comrades were killed. He returned from Aden feeling bitter about what had happened and believing their sacrifice had been overlooked. Looking back, he describes the experience as formative: in some ways it gave him confidence, but in others it shattered it, leaving memories that have stayed with him throughout his life.

Stuart Raw joined the Army as a boy soldier in 1961 at just 15 years old. He trained with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), eventually qualifying as an aircraft engineer specialising in airframes and engines. Arriving in Aden in the middle of the night, Stuart was struck by the intense heat and tight security and remembers feeling shocked and apprehensive about what he had got himself into. As an aircraft engineer, he spent much of his time facing the challenge of keeping aircraft serviceable in harsh desert conditions, particularly the constant problems caused by the sand. His work often brought him close to danger and he recalls some of the more difficult moments of his time in Aden, including aircraft damaged by enemy fire, casualty evacuations and the loss of friends. Stuart reflects on Aden as an experience that made him more careful and self-reliant, carrying those lessons into the rest of his long Army career. Now, as the number of surviving veterans grows smaller, Stuart continues to honour their service and keep their memory alive by marching with the Aden veterans at the Cenotaph.

Kenneth Hay was just 18 when he found himself fighting in Normandy, but his wartime story had begun several years earlier. Growing up in Barking, he joined the Home Guard at only 15, fire-watched during the Blitz and volunteered for the Army as soon as he could. Following in the footsteps of his older brother Bill, Kenneth eventually served as an infantry signaller with the Dorset Regiment and as a Commando. His active service was to take a dramatic turn. During a patrol in Normandy, Kenneth’s group came under intense German fire. Nine men were killed and Kenneth was among five captured. For the young soldier, one war had ended and another had begun. File-Sister Veronica AI Transcr… What followed was an extraordinary journey through occupied Europe: interrogation, cramped railway wagons, prisoner-of-war camps and the uncertainty of whether his family even knew he was alive. Then, in the freezing winter of 1945, Kenneth was forced onto the road as the Germans evacuated prisoners ahead of the advancing Russians. In bitter cold and deep snow, he endured a forced march of more than 1,000 miles. File-Sister Veronica AI Transcr… Kenneth’s testimony is an extraordinary story of a teenage soldier thrust into combat, captivity and a remarkable fight for survival. He passed away on Sunday 20th September. RIP.

Major Freddie Hunn's extensive account offers a profound insight into his remarkable military service. Driven by limited job opportunities and influenced by stories from his friends, Freddie was inspired to enlist in the 12th Royal Lancers, an armoured car regiment, in 1937. Over the course of the Second World War, he served at the forefront of some of its most pivotal campaigns, from the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France to the unforgiving deserts of North Africa. When war broke out, Freddie was deployed to France with the BEF. What began as a period of relative inactivity during the harsh winter of 1939-40 quickly turned to chaos as the German Blitzkrieg unfolded. Freddie and his regiment endured a continual retreat to the coast, witnessing the devastation of strafing Stuka attacks and aiding in the evacuation of thousands at De Panne. Freddie’s journey continued with a convoy voyage across the Atlantic to North Africa, where he became a "Desert Rat." There, he faced daily threats from shells, relentless Stuka bombings, and gruelling conditions: in particular the limited water supply. He witnessed firsthand the toll of war, as many comrades succumbed to the debilitating effects of shell shock amidst relentless bombardments. Among his extraordinary experiences were leading a daring attack on a German convoy near Benghazi and navigating a minefield in Tunisia. From the chaos of Dunkirk to the pivotal Battle of El Alamein and countless close calls, Freddie’s service was marked by extraordinary bravery and incredible luck. His reflections not only shed light on the realities of war but also pay tribute to the courage, sacrifices, and profound cost borne by those who served.

Martin Arnold served in Aden during a period of deteriorating security and rising violence. Although originally trained for ceremonial duties as a drummer and bugler, he operated in Aden as an infantryman. His interview moves between the lighter moments of service and several more serious encounters. Despite the gravity of many of his experiences, Martin's sense of humour remains present. Moments such as the failed camel experiment and the grenade that landed right by his foot show how even frightening events are recalled with wit, while still conveying the danger he and his fellow soldiers faced. Alongside these stories, Martin speaks about the lasting effects of his service, including feelings of survivor’s guilt. He also reflects on how the camaraderie among fellow soldiers extended far beyond Aden and continued to shape other aspects of his life. Now, with many of his former colleagues no longer alive, Martin emphasises the importance of recording these memories so that the stories of Aden are not lost.

Colin Parker details his experience with PTSD as well as his tragic fall from invincible Coldstream Guard to being left for dead in the Middle East. Slaving away day after day at his foundry job pushed Colin to actualise his childhood infatuation with the Armed Forces and join the Coldstream Guards. This particular regiment had a violent and prideful reputation due to moulding their recruits to feel like nothing could hurt them, something Colin experienced first hand.  Colin initially found it exciting to be on the battlefield until he was surrounded by Middle Eastern tribals and gravely injured by their mortar fire, the two teenagers soldiers under his command at the time not making it. Laying in the crater thinking about his family one last time Colin was fully convinced he had died but miraculously he survived.  After the attack, Colin had to relearn how to walk and talk and was then medically discharged and forced to deal with his new found PTSD alone. Having to accept that the army viewed him as expendable was extremely difficult for Colin; he felt so small and powerless after being discharged, he had lost everything and they did not care. Due to the way the Coldstream Guard trained him Colin never believed he would suffer from PTSD, but now he was stuck constantly relieving the stress and fear from that day over and over. 

Growing up in an Army family gave Tim Toyne-Sewell a sense of curiosity that would stay with him throughout his military career. Commissioned into the King's Own Scottish Borderers in 1961, he describes himself as a “schoolboy” in the Army, learning how to lead from the experienced platoon sergeants around him. Tim first went to Aden in February 1962, where his battalion was unusually stationed for two years at Waterloo Lines. His experiences ranged from basic barrack life and rugby on the RAF pitches to six months as ADC at Government House, where endless dinner parties brought him into contact with an extraordinary range of public figures. Only a few months after returning home, Tim found himself unexpectedly sent back to Aden and into the Radfan. There, life could hardly have been more different. He recalls convoy duties, patrols and ambushes, and being left with 30 men on a remote hilltop – an experience he credits with teaching him how to lead and earn the trust of others. Tim went on to command his battalion, 19 Brigade and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, before running Goodenough College in London. Looking back, he reflects particularly on how Aden taught him to deal with people at every level, a skill that shaped the rest of his career.

Don McArthur recounts how his D Day parachute drop went awry, trapping him behind enemy lines with no supplies and causing him to spend ten months as a prisoner of war. During D Day Don had suspected that his given orders were flawed but the extreme camaraderie he had experienced in the Parachute Regiment prevented him from trusting his doubt and confusion.   Tasked with delivering mortars to a rendezvous point, Don and his platoon were dropped into Normandy on a dark, rainy night with no way to distinguish where to land or where to move towards. Despite the conditions he was able to locate three more of the lost Paras but no maps had been given out so following the noise of explosions was now their only option. After ten days of wandering the empty countryside with no supplies and no enemy or ally contact they were discovered by German soldiers and Don was captured.   Don found the prison camp’s staff strict and quick to anger but he couldn’t blame them for just doing their job and didn’t resist their interrogations due to how worn out he was. After having been released one month after World War 2 ended, the Parachute Regiment asked him to return to their ranks but Don instead chose to go live with his wife and infant child.        

Jim Reynolds, a conscripted driver/mechanic in the Armoured Corps, shares his experiences in World War II. Growing up in Cirencester, he was called up at 18 and trained as a driver/mechanic. Initially equipped with a rifle in a Bren gun carrier, his regiment eventually received Sherman tanks. Landing in Normandy shortly after D-Day, Jim and his crew faced the realities of war. He recounts his time under Sergeant Frost, a commander who instilled confidence. Jim vividly describes an encounter where they lost their Sergeant and he sustained a minor shrapnel injury. Despite the loss and close calls, Jim continued his service, participating in various operations, including a night march and navigating treacherous terrain. He recalls a harrowing incident where his tank was destroyed, and he was shot twice while trying to escape. After a long recovery, Jim was eventually discharged.

Barry Andrews was a dedicated veteran who carried out 38 years of service. Throughout his time, he had a variety of roles from Royal Engineer to Regimental Sergeant Major. From his time in Osnabrück, Germany, Barry reflects on the benefits of being a Royal Engineer and how it gives you ‘two strings to your bow’, going onto explain how important engineers are in the daily life and recovery of soldiers. Barry expresses the sense of naivety the soldiers felt upon dealing with the role of nuclear warfare, explaining the intense training that had to be undertaken. In his interview, Barry reflects on how soldiers handled their relationships with locals and funny anecdotes that came along with it. However, he goes onto share difficult situations like the 30th May, which unfortunately saw two men killed and nine casualties. He explores how this had a detrimental effect on the morale of the camp, as they had to learn to deal with the effects of grief and anger. Overall, he considers Aden to have been a good experience for a young man, yet, with the devastating loss of two good friends, he will always carry it with him.

From a happy childhood in a Yorkshire mining village to a career spanning almost five decades, Major Clive Candlin reflects on his lifetime of service. Joining the Army at just 17 years old opened up a world beyond Yorkshire that took him to places he could never have imagined visiting. The interview centres on Clive's deployment to Aden in 1964, with the Coldstream Guards, where he served as a clerk at Battalion Headquarters. He offers a rare perspective on how a battalion functioned during an active campaign, describing the unseen administrative work that kept operations moving. This included the responsibility of handling casualty reports so that soldiers’ families could be informed quickly and accurately. Clive also reflects on the personal costs of service. He speaks openly about the difficulties of leaving his wife, Margaret and their infant son, Steve, behind in Britain, describing the uncertainty of being separated for such a long time, especially when communication was not what it is now. Among some of Clive's happier memories are those of the friendships and camaraderie he shared among the men, which provided moments of relief amidst the pressure of service. Clive's testimony provides valuable insight into both the operational realities and the emotional cost of Army life during the Aden Emergency.

Séan Bonner joined the Parachute Regiment in 1964, beginning a military career that would span more than three decades and take him from Cyprus and Aden to later service as a helicopter pilot. Born in India into a long line of military service stretching back generations, Séan describes a childhood shaped by army life, adventure and a fascination with flying. In this interview, he gives a vivid and often darkly humorous account of life as a young paratrooper during the Aden Emergency. Serving with 1 Para, his experience spanned three very different phases of the conflict: operations in the Radfan Mountains in 1965, urban clashes in Aden Town in 1966, and seven months in Sheikh Othman in 1967 as British withdrawal approached. He recalls the demanding mountain operations around Habilayn and Ab Dimnah, where British forces sought to secure the Dhala Road against insurgent attacks, followed by the short, sharp clashes of Aden Town. By 1967, in Sheikh Othman, gun battles, grenade attacks, mortar and rocket fire and occasional IED attacks had become an almost daily reality. Across these very different environments, he describes patrols, ambushes, convoy protection and the constant tension of serving during an increasingly volatile period of the Aden Emergency. Séan also reflects on service in Cyprus, Bahrain and Dhofar, the culture and mentality of the Parachute Regiment, and the intense camaraderie forged through training and combat. Frank, thoughtful and highly engaging, his testimony offers a vivid insight into British airborne operations during the final years of Britain’s presence in Aden.